Talib hurt his knee on the play early in the second quarter and missed the rest of the game.

Belichick calls the play one of the worst he's seen and says Welker, a former Texas Tech standout who played the previous six seasons for the Patriots, made no attempt to get open. Coming from opposite sides, the players ran into each other. No penalty was called. On the play, Peyton Manning's pass to Demaryius Thomas fell incomplete.

It “was a deliberate play by the receiver to take out Aqib, no attempt to get open,” Belichick said.

Welker, who had a cool relationship with Belichick before leaving New England as a free agent last offseason, was not available for comment Monday.

But after the game, he said, “It was one of those plays where it's kind of a rub play ... It wasn't a deal where I was trying to hit him or anything like that.”

Two 49ers hurt: San Francisco All-Pro LB NaVorro Bowman has a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bowman would have surgery for the ACL tear but that the MCL is likely to heal with rest. Also, 49ers LG Mike Iupati didn't know if he'd need surgery for a broken ankle.

Elsewhere: Colts QB Andrew Luck is going to the Pro Bowl, replacing Seattle's Russell Wilson, who is in the Super Bowl. ... The title games' TV ratings were up 22 and 17 percent from last season for the early and late games, respectively.